Ecosystems and environmental change

Leader: D. Van Rooij

As the study of ecosystems from hostile environments gathers pace globally, it is recognised that all parts of the deep ocean basins and continental margins present different and unique environments for colonisation by biota. Several important studies have begun to examine these systems and to recognise that bottom currents are essential to maintain habitat formation of deep-water ecosystems, creating substrates and providing ideal conditions for nutrient delivery. Worldwide occurrences of ecosystems associated with deepwater circulation include those along the Australian margin, the Antarctica margin and the Gulf of Mexico.

Specific topics:

  • Understanding of deep-water circulation as habitat builder and for habitat maintenance (e.g. deepwater oysters and coldwater corals), especially in association with other deepwater elements (e.g. canyon systems).
  • Investigating the influence of climatic variability in deep-water circulation on the ecological health status of deep-water ecosystems.
  • Elucidating the role of bottom currents on drift versus biogenic mound growth, and to what extent cold-water corals need strong bottom currents for nutrient delivery and for mound building/stabilisation by infilling the cavities between CWC rubble.
  • Examining the potential of these bottom-water biotic systems as recorders of water mass properties and circulation; the potential development of new paleoceanographic proxies; and with a separate focus on ichnofacies of contourites.